The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1887-11-05

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; particularly necessary. Our camp WAS
very pleasant and cosy one, and
! when everything was 'to rights for the
night we naturally fell into a talk
abont our experiences of the past few
! days. AS usual in such cases we found
that our "hlndsight" was more accurate
Than our foresight" and, despite our
iaihiiiarity with bass fishing in other
waters, that we had learned by experi.
ence something about bass fishing ia
the Gasconade. All streams have their
peculIarities and this one is no excep.
tlon. Now with us the orthodox way
TO fish tor bass is with float, and a
nVe minnow at depth of eighteen
ihches to two feet, even where The
water Ia much deeper. Occasionally q
iancv angler will try fly, or skiller-
ing with spoon, but the regular,
steady thing is what we have describ-
ed This don't seem to work in the
Gasconade late in the autumn. AT
that time the bass, which we asserted
at the beginning to be the most capri
clOus OF fish, has followed the cat fish
to the bottom, where he is feeding not
on mlnnows. but upon crawfish. This
we very soon discovered by dissection
| OF the fish we caught Not one of
them had mlnnow in its stomach and
nearly every one had more or less
crawtish. The fish are to be found in
what i'll local parlance is called the
"holes,' that is, the long reaches of
| deep water between the rapids, and
generally toward the upper end of
these, and upon rocky or sandy bot
toms. These holes are from ten to
twelve feet deep, sometimes more, not
often less, and in fishing them float is
Of no particular benefit. What ia
needed is hundred and fifty or two
hundred feet of fine sea grass or linen
line on good. plain, simple reel, and a
handy, light rod. The hook, number
or OShaughnessy or Limerick,
should be tied to single gut, and the
rig would better be little too light
than too heavy. 1t is quite remarka-
bic how big fish you can handle with
light tine, especially when you use
landing net, and do not have TO lift
your fish out of the water. The deli
cate line does better work and catches
the most fish, as the small mouthed
oiack bass is as skittish as red deer
or wild turkey. Insert your hook
from below through the tail of your
crawfish, getting a good hold, and
carefully and without noise make your
cast as far from the boat as possible.
Let it settle to the bottom, and move
your line gently every minute or two
until it is brought close enough to
necessitate another cast, which make
in another direction. But whatever
else you do be quiet. Don't stand mn.
don't strike the boat with the oars. as
that kind of concussion scares the fish
away very quickly, and if you have a
talking partner put him ashore and 90
it alone. If it is convenient it is bet.
ter when you hook big fellow and
see that you have a stiff fight before
you 10 row away and tow him out of
yonr fishing water for the final battle.
put slngularly enough the fish seem to
De less alarmed by their struggling
brother than by much smaller racket
IN any other way. A dark or partially
cloudy day, with breeze from the
south or west. is the best, and those
who ought to know say it is almost
useless TO fish Tor the small mouth
oiacE bass on perfectly still, bright
snnshIny day. The bait should be-
allowed to rest on the bottom, as it is
there that the fish naturally looks for
IL. some bass may be taken, even in
the fall months with minnows, and
even with the red worm, or with small
frogs, but after the water becomes a lit.
lie cold and the bass seeks the deeper
places, the most killing bait is unaues-
!ionabiy the crawfish. If we had
known all this earlier in our trip wa
should have caught more fish, proba-
bly, but we got plenty as it was, and
we could not have had a better time:
and the late autumn is certainly the
grandest season of all the year for an
putting.
So we talked over what we had
learned and what we had enjoyed until
somewhat later than usual, and at last
went reluctantly to bed in our last camn
upon the GascOnade, after an exper-
ence with it unmarked by ona
lntoward accident or an hours disa-
greeable weather.
The next morning we reached Ar
ington at 10 O'Clock, our train being
iue little after noon. We returnei
he boats to their owner al Jerome. ON
he opposite side of the river. with
present of a number of cat fish which
!e seemed to appreciate very highly.
At Arlington we found the general
Merchandise store of Mr.. Pillmap. and
very we'll supplied one, to contain the
'ostomce, which was presided over
~ very pretty and intelligent Young
ady. Our trunk, Franks and mine.
win our civilized clothes in it was
mere, and MIR. Rogers, the clerk.
'ohtely permitted rs to use the ware.
louse as toilet room. Arriving in
op boots, slouch hats, rough clothes.
hsnaVeh faces, and with decided
oW-noy appearance, when we emerp
q with smooth chins, billed shirts.
aifiy cut clothes, derby hats and mol.
she'd boots, the transformation drew
Il exclamation Of surprise-not from
ne young lady; no, we are not quite
SOFT as that, on this occasion. hnt
fom the old gentleman, Mr.. Rogers
Ana' after all, it felt good, once more IN
ct into civilized togs. Clothes do not
lake the man by no manner of means.
ut they add most decidedly to his
omi0rt and satisfaction.
we had several little exneri.
light do to relate, but this
arm has been spun out long enough
dne time our train came along, and
III bachelors tore themselves away
ON the contemplation af the sweet
1uhs lady al the store, and we burri.
ily got aboard. just after we did 40
e became aware that Scraps had also
'ne ABOARD, and il became necessarv
have him elected from the car. We
al previously made arrangements for
8 adoption by very decent and bu-
ane looking man whom We met in tho
mage. Poor fellow! Faithful friendi
had known us only few days, but
loved and did not want to leave us,
we had had but another minnie to
fecf, after this touching scene. we
ouid never have left him, but the
ain was off ana SO we were separated
Dln him Good bye, Scraps, old SsI.......
W! May your lines have fali2S, r. s & e
ca easant places And SO, with tha, - q
at my readers may think ponS i ~ n
'rse OF us at the end by reas06 = z 4
love OF this poor brute, / wish them
adieu until have another story ,n
them OF the mountain and The val.
:, the river and the wood.
Earawoll